to fall asleep again on the coach, resulting in me missing afternoon reg, which apparently caused a lot of panic until Ms Ashley remembered she let me on the coach. Alas, I was dragged to have lunch with the rest of my wonderful peers since if I feel 'ill' its best to stay nourished. I don't know who made that rule up, but I officially hate them.

I'm now sitting at a table opposite Neki and Isabela. I was scared I'd have to face Parker but they both said they haven't seen him in a while.

These sandwiches suck, but I haven't eaten today so I guess I'll have to continue to choke them down, even though cheese makes me feel nauseous. There's conversation around me at the table, but I'm not really being forced to join, so I take it as my opportunity to stay silent.

"Elena?"

I look up and Neki is looking at me, concern in his eyes.

"Are you okay? You're so quiet." he asks.

I nod, filling my mouth with the dry bread so I have a reason to avoid talking. My eyes turn away from Neki who is staring at me now, studying my face with narrow eyes.

"Did something happen with you and Ash?"

My heart drops and I focus my eyes on an ant crawling across the wooden table.

"El?" Isabela reaches forward to hold my hand, but I pull away instinctively, getting up from my seat.

"Bathroom." I mumble, turning around and walking away before anything more can be said.

***

Pushing my hands through my hair, I groan, resting my elbows on my legs. I feel like I've been punched in the fucking gut. My head has been racing ever since I spoke to her; I don't know what I did to make her upset with me, but I fucking hate myself for it.

"Fuck." I whisper, unable to stop the throbbing pain in my head.

Her words are bouncing around inside my head.

I can't do this anymore.

She said it so quietly it was almost inaudible, like she was saying it to herself. As if it was something she's been battling with for a while. How long has she felt like this?

My eyes prick with tears and I run a hand over my face so hard it almost hurts. I need to get a grip. We've known each other just over a month, and somewhere along the way I put my entire heart in her hands. Her clasp is so tight on it that I feel like I'm in physical pain.

I swore on everything that I would never let myself fall in love, and here I am, sat in some dimly lit ancient fucking vault I stumbled in to, feeling like my heart has been physically stepped on.

I'm pulled out of my thoughts as the slight crack in the vault door is pushed open, another figure entering. My heart catches in my throat as I watch her run her hands through her hair, eyes closed while a tear slides down her cheek.

She opens her eyes and the muscles in her neck tense as she sees me.

"Everyone's looking for you." Elena mumbles, scrubbing at her cheek with her sleeve.

Her lashes are stuck together, her eyes glazed over like she'd already been crying before she got here. My heart wrenches. The pink tinge in her cheeks makes me realise I'm staring.

I push myself to my feet, ignoring the throbbing pain as I walk over to her. She backs up a little, making sure not to push the door of the vault shut.

My hand reaches out to cup her face and she flinches a little.

"What have I done to you Elena?" I say quietly.

She shakes her head, brown hair falling over her face. I push it back, tucking it behind her ear.

"Please," I whisper, leaning down and pressing my forehead against hers.

For a moment, just a moment, I feel her relax. Her body melts in to my touch as she takes a deep breath in. The moment ends when we hear a loud click, realising she's leant against the door to the vault.

"No," she says, turning and pressing a hand against the door. "No, no, no."

I watch her, visible panic rising as she puts pressure on it again.

She spins around to face me, hair flying. "This won't open from the inside, Parker!"

I look at her blankly. I can tell she's beginning to panic, but I can't speak, because then she'll know that I'm not scared. If anything, I'm happy that I'm locked in here with her.

"It's like, a thousand years old, it wasn't meant to be shut." she says. "I left my phone on the coach, how are we meant to call for help?"

She begins pacing, one hand in her hair and the other on her hip. "Bel will come and find us. She'll realise I've been missing for too long."

I watch her, and she turns to me, frowning.

"Why aren't you panicking?" she asks.

I open my mouth, before closing it again, deciding a shrug will be more sensible than any rubbish I could possibly spew right now.

She lets out an exasperated scream, pushing both hands through her hair.

"Kinsley," I take hold of her bicep as she passes me, but she shrugs me off just as quickly.

"Get the fuck off me." Elena's voice breaks as a tear slides down her cheek.

I'm so surprised that I pull back, unsure whether I'm shocked at the emotion in her voice or the fact that she just swore.

"What did I do to you?" I push, almost desperately.

Hell, my voice is probably full of desperation, but I couldn't care less.

"Are you kidding me?" she lets out a short bitter laugh that feels like a slap to the face.

The blank look on my face only upsets her more.

"You could've just told me to back off Parker." she shakes her head as she begins to pace again.

"What?" I've never been more confused.

"This whole thing could've been avoided. I'd understand. I would've backed off." she rambles.

"Elen-"

"You were the one that kissed me. I didn't want to push those boundaries because I knew something like this would hap-"

"Elena what the fuck are you talking about?" I yell.

"I heard what you said!" she yells back, her voice sounding slightly choked.

I frown. "What?"

She stops pacing now, sliding down to sit on the floor, her back against the wall.

"I heard what you said about me." she whispers, her eyes closed.

She can't even bare to look at me. I strategically lower myself to sit in front of her, my messed up leg outstretched in front of me.

"I don't understand." I say quietly, attempting to take her hand in mine, but she pulls away.

She lets out a sigh, as if this conversation has exhausted her. "This morning."

This morning? I think back, but the only person I can remember talking to the morning was James, about...

Holy shit.

"Elena that wasn't about you." I say so fast it almost doesn't sound like English.

"Sure it wasn't." she smiles, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Oh my god, I can't believe you thought I was talking about you." my chest hurts so bad it's almost unbearable.

Elena opens her eyes now, as if she just realised I wasn't joking.

"What?" she whispers.

"I was talking to James. About Mackenzie."

Elena looks back at me, slack jawed as she studies my face, and I can tell she knows I'm telling the truth.

"She hasn't left me alone since the time she saw us together on Park Street. I can't get away from her, she's exhausting." I continue.

Tears begin to fall from Elena's eyes and she smiles, resting her head back and closing her eyes.

"I am so stupid." she laughs, a sweet genuine laugh filled with sadness.

"You're right, maybe I do make everything about myself." she sniffs.

"You know I didn't mean that." I say quickly, until I realise she's smiling.

I take both her hands in mine, pulling her closer to me and cupping her face in my hands.

"I would never talk about you like that Elena. I'm so sorry you thought it was about you." I say, which only makes her cry harder.

She takes hold of my wrists, pressing her forehead against mine and I inhale her peachy scent. As she begins to catch her breath, I lean forward and press my lips against hers, which seems to make her stop breathing completely.

Electricity surges through my body the same way it always does when I'm with her, and she opens her mouth, allowing me to kiss her deeper. It's wet, it's messy and it's so so heavenly. I groan as I try to bring her closer to me, craving her touch. She wraps her arms around my neck as she brings herself to her knees to avoid craning her neck. Her mouth is warm, soft, and one of the best feelings in the world.

She pulls away suddenly and we stare at each other, entangled and breathless. My chest is heaving as she looks at me, all teary-eyes and disheveled hair.

"We're still locked in here." she says as if she just remembered.

I shrug, pulling out my phone. "I'll call Neki."

Elena looks at me, her lips parted. She stares at me.

"What?" I ask, trying my best not to smile.

Her perfect lips curl up into a wide smile.

"You've had your phone this entire time?" she laughs.

"Maybe." I hum, sending Neki a text telling him what happened.

"You're an asshole, Parker Ashford."